Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Nauru instead of Japan, you would:

Health

live 16.9 years less

In Japan, the average life expectancy is 85 years (82 years for men, 88 years for women) as of 2022. In Nauru, that number is 68 years (64 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2022.

be 14.2 times more likely to be obese

In Japan, 4.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Nauru, that number is 61.0% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 75.4% less money

Japan has a GDP per capita of $46,300 as of 2023, while in Nauru, the GDP per capita is $11,400 as of 2023.

be 8.9 times more likely to be unemployed

In Japan, 2.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Nauru, that number is 23.0% as of 2011.

Life

have 2.9 times more children

In Japan, there are approximately 6.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Nauru, there are 20.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 4.1 times more likely to die during infancy

In Japan, approximately 1.9 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Nauru, on the other hand, 7.8 children do as of 2022.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

Japan spends 3.4% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Nauru spends 7.1% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 10.1% more on healthcare

Japan spends 10.9% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Nauru, that number is 12.0% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 99.9% less coastline

Japan has a total of 29,751 km of coastline. In Nauru, that number is 30 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Nauru: At a glance

Nauru is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 21 sq km. The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific region. Germany annexed the island in 1888. A German-British consortium began mining the island's phosphate deposits early in the 20th century. Australian forces occupied Nauru in World War I; it subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
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How big is Nauru compared to Japan? See an in-depth size comparison.

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